Michael Kraus (handballer)
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Göppingen, West Germany
| Michael Kraus | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Born |
28 September 1983 Göppingen, West Germany | ||
| Nationality | German | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | TVB 1898 Stuttgart | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Team | |||
– | TSG Eislingen | ||
– | TS Göppingen | ||
| Senior clubs | |||
| Years | Team | ||
2002 – 2007 | Frisch Auf Göppingen | ||
2007 – 2010 | TBV Lemgo | ||
2010 – 2013 | HSV Hamburg | ||
2013 – 2016 | Frisch Auf Göppingen | ||
2016 – 2019 | TVB 1898 Stuttgart | ||
2019 – 2020 | SG BBM Bietigheim | ||
2026 – | Los Angeles Team Handball Club | ||
| National team | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2005– | Germany | 129[1] | (401) |
Medal record | |||
Michael "Mimi" Kraus (born 28 September 1983) is a former German handballer. He is a world champion from the 2007 World Champion. For this he was awarded the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt.[2]
National team
Kraus played youth handball at TSG Eislingen and TS Göppingen. He started his senior career at Frisch Auf Göppingen in 2002 before moving to TBV Lemgo in 2007. He then HSV Hamburg in 2010 for a 300.000€ transfer fee.[3] After winning the EHF Champions League with Hamburg[4] he returned to play for his hometown club.
In July 2014 Kraus was suspended by the German Handball Association's Anti-Doping Commission, for three different control violations.[5] In August the same year, he was acquitted of the charge, as 'no fault could be proven against him'.[6] The German Anti-Doping Agency appealed the decision,[7] after which the parties agreed on an arbitration, which suspended Kraus retroactively for three months.[8]
In 2016 he won the EHF Cup with Frisch Auf Göppingen, beating French HBC Nantes in the final.
The following summer he joined TVB 1898 Stuttgart.[9] In 2019 he moved to TVB 1989 Stuttgart, with another move to SG BBM Bietigheim in 2019 until 2020.[10] He retired in 2020, when he was released of his contract with Bietigheim.[11]
In 2026 he returned to the handball court, when he joined American Los Angeles Team Handball Club.[12] Here he won the 2026 American Championship.[13]
Kraus was a German international since 2005. On January 28, 2008, he was dropped from the German national team squad for the upcoming international matches by then-national coach Heiner Brand. Brand cited his perceived poor performance at the 2008 European Men's Handball Championship as the reason for his decision..[14] In February 2008 he was recalled, and then represented Germany at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where his team placed 9th.[15]
From 2011 to 2014 he was once again out of the German national team, but returned on April 4th, 2014 in a match against Hungary.[16]
